Axel took a hasty step back, muttering to himself in what had to be fae, as Rys appeared at the top of the stairs, gaze zeroing in on me.
I wasn’t sure whether he’d seen us almost kiss—his face gave nothing away—but there was no way he’d miss everything else we were giving off. The air between us was thick with it.
He glanced between the two of us, the slight raise of his eyebrows the only reaction to the heavy scent of arousal that lingered. “We need to go.”
My back stiffened, instantly alert. “Why?” My gaze shot to Axel, who looked back at me with wide eyes, then back to Rys. “What’s happened?”
“Lady Sarhin’s here with my father.”
“She’s here?” Axel asked, leaning over the railing and searching the floor below.
“At the bar with Nick and Dathal,” Rys continued. “They have news. We’re all meeting Max at the station.”
“Now?” My pulse kicked up.Must be something pretty fucking serious to go to the paranormal police station at 12:15 on a Sunday morning.“It couldn’t wait until a more reasonable hour?”
Rys scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “She said she didn’t realise it would be so late here but wasn’t about to go home and come back again.”
Axel snorted. “Of course not. And as much as I’d love to leave her with Dathal and Nick for a little longer, I don’t think it’s wise to have her in here longer than necessary. Not sure your father enjoys all the adoring glances she gets.”
Rys grinned, sharp and amused. “No. He was already growling at people when I left to find you.” His eyes met mine. “I took my time.”
“Fuck’s sake. We’d better get back down there before he hurts someone.” I itched to take Axel’s hand again, to feel his palm slide against mine, but he’d put more distance between us since Rys’s arrival. Whatevermomentwe were having had passed.
I felt its loss like an ache between my ribs, and it took everything I had not to rub my chest to ease it.
Seeming unaffected by any of it, Axel turned and headed back towards the stairs, and since I was supposed to be guarding him, all I could do was follow.
“You okay?” Rys whispered, leaning in close as we reached the lower level.
My heart hurt, all those feelings I’d buried deep down out of sight now dragged back to the surface. “I’ll be fine.”
Rys huffed, not satisfied with my answer, but it was all I was willing to give him in the middle of Midnight, surrounded by a good chunk of our paranormal community. “We’ll talk later.”
It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t bother giving him an answer, too focused on tracking Axel’s movements as he slipped between bodies on his way back to the front of the club.
Nathan Calder stood at the end of the bar, practically vibrating with tension as he glared hard at anyone foolish enough to give Lady Sarhin a second glance. To be fair, she cut a striking figure in her tight black trousers and white shirt, hair loose around her shoulders. Add in the fact she was fae, and it was no wonder she caught the attention of half the club. Not that I would ever say that aloud, obviously.
“Thank the Goddess,” Nick muttered as soon as he saw us. He shot a pointed glance at Rys’s dad, then added in a louder voice. “I think everyone’s ready to leave.”
Dathal smirked at him, gaze softening as he reached over and clasped Nick’s forearm, touch lingering over the fae marks inked onto his skin. “I’ll see you later.”
Jealousy spiked, harsh and unforgiving, and I worked hard to school my features. I couldn’t hide my feelings from Rys, but I didn’t need to broadcast them to everyone else.
When Dathal turned around, his eyes narrowed as he glanced at me and then Axel, who’d moved to stand next to him. “Everything all right?”
I nodded, but Axel shrugged a shoulder and grunted. Dathal frowned even more, and I was right there with him, jealousy forgotten, because the Axel I’d been with upstairs was long gone. Even under the warm lights of the club, he looked pale, violet eyes standing out in stark relief. He had his bottom lip pulled between his teeth, biting down hard by the looks of it, and I curled my hands into fists so I wouldn’t reach out and free it.
“Axel,” Dathal murmured, crowding into his space, one hand reaching up to do what I couldn’t. He gently tugged Axel’s lip free and cupped his jaw, forcing Axel to look at him. “Breathe,” he whispered. “You’re safe. She has an update for us, that’s all. He’s not here.”
Axel closed his eyes, leaning into Dathal’s touch, his shaky exhale tugging at my heart.
They were family, more like brothers than cousins, but that didn’t stop the visceral pain that cut through me at seeing them together. At watching Dathal touch him with an ease and familiarity that I’d wanted for so fucking long.
Even after everything he’d said to me.
I gave in and rubbed at that spot over my heart. When I glanced away from them, I caught both Rys and Sasha watching me.
Awesome.
